Tag: Bakery

A British celebrity chef insulted Mexican bread. Mexico took it personally

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MEXICO CITY — Don’t mess with my bolillos!

That was the universal message here after disparaging remarks about Mexican bread surfaced from a British celebrity chef who ridiculed the beloved bolillo: An oval-shaped, white bread roll that is a culinary and cultural staple, a mainstay in tortas (sandwiches), pan con chocolate (bread with chocolate) and other essentials, a go-to comfort food with a spiritual caché.

Mexicans “don’t really have much of a bread culture,” the chef, Richard Hart, who runs a popular Mexico City bakery, said in a podcast that recently resurfaced online. He labeled Mexican wheat “not good … highly processed, full of additives,” adding: “They make sandwiches on these white, ugly rolls that are pretty cheap and industrially made.”

That frontal assault on el bolillo came just as many Mexicans are getting ready to stock up on the fluffy loaves for the holidays. Judging by the reaction, Hart might as well have dissed the national soccer team.

“The bolillo is a sacred food in Mexico, it’s part of our daily life,” said an astounded Carlos López, 32, who was in line at a stand awaiting his daily torta de tamal — a sandwich composed of a cornmeal tamale stuffed inside a bolillo.

“This is breakfast for millions of Mexicans!” López declared of the bulging cholesterol bomb, typically dripping in hot sauce. “I think this English cook should close his shop and go back home to his country.”

Defenders of the bolillo ascended the ramparts of the internet to defend their humble fare. Many posted under #ConElBolilloNo.

“The bolillo is everything: It’s a food, a remedy, it’s homeland,” said one indignant commentator on X.

A neighborhood bakery in the Colonia Cuauhtemoc neighborhood in Mexico City sells a wide variety of pan dulce.

(Lisette Poole/For The Times)

The insult seemed to rankle many because it touched both a current issue — gentrification in Mexico City — and an old sore spot: foreigners citing supposedly elevated European standards to judge Mexico, where Hart now makes his living.

Another poster voiced the hope that the highbrow Euro-chef had learned his lesson with the bolillo, and would not dare to cast scorn on other favorites like the concha, a ubiquitous seashell-shaped sweet bread featuring a sugary topping.

“If you’re gonna mess around with the vanilla or chocolate concha, think twice about it,” the user warned.

The London-born Hart, who honed his sourdough skills during seven years at San Francisco’s acclaimed Tartine Bakery, issued an apology online last week after his comments, which were made months ago, went viral.

“Since I arrived in Mexico, I have fallen in love with the people of this city,” Hart wrote. “Nonetheless, my words didn’t reflect this respect. In this country I am a guest and I forgot to act accordingly.”

A worker restocks shelves of pan dulce and other kinds of bread at the Ideal bakery in Mexico City.

(Lisette Poole/For The Times)

The culinary kerfuffle was unusual for Mexico, which boasts a world-renowned cuisine that includes dozens of varieties of breads and pastries, both savory and sweet. Many are elaborations on European originals, often carrying suggestive names such as: banderilla (banner), bigote (mustache), tortuga (turtle) and colchón (mattress).

Mexico is especially known for holiday breads such as pan de muerto (for Day of the Dead), often left on the graves of loved ones; and Rosca de Reyes, a round sweet loaf eaten on Jan. 6, Three Kings Day (the Epiphany), traditionally with a figure of the baby Jesus hidden inside.

“Mexico doesn’t replicate European bread because it doesn’t have to,” Edgar Nuñez, a celebrated Mexican chef who studied in France, wrote on X in response to the bolillo dustup. “Here there is a proper tradition of bakeries, with its own history, identity, technique, and a social connection that many cultures lack.”

Hart didn’t return messages left at his bakery, the Green Rhino, in the capital’s shabby-chic Roma Norte district.

Reports that the Green Rhino had been vandalized were untrue, workers at the eatery said. There was no sign of exterior damage Friday afternoon.

The Green Rhino, which opened in June, employs about 50 people, staffers said. Business seemed slow Friday afternoon. Some would-be customers lingered outside the premises, seemingly wondering whether it was all right to go inside.

Clockwise from top right: A concha sweetbread, sold at a food stand in Mexico City’s La Roma district, and various offerings from the Bou bakery.

(Lisette Poole / For The Times)

“I think it’s all a misunderstanding,” said Sofía, 28, a regular client who, like others interviewed, declined to give their full names for privacy reasons. “Yes, I think I’ll go back. It’s a nice place.”

The bolillo brouhaha quickly became part of the raging debate about gentrification in Mexico City.

Critics have blamed rising rents and the displacement of longtime residents and businesses on a wave of digital nomads and other expatriates from the United States, Canada, Europe and elsewhere. Foreign visitors, mostly young, are seen daily wandering through gentrified neighborhoods gazing at their cellphones, following directions to the latest hip spots hyped on Instagram and TikTok. Many trendy bakeries feature European-style breads and pastries.

In July, angry Mexican protesters, predominantly young, marched through the trendy Roma neighborhood and adjoining Condesa district denouncing gentrification driven by foreigners. Some vandalized restaurants and cafes, breaking windows and overturning outdoor tables at various businesses, including at a popular Starbucks with a mostly Mexican clientele.

A worker restocks bread supplies at the Ideal bakery.

(Lisette Poole/For The Times)

Despite complaints about gentrification, there is a clear upside to foreign — and Mexican — customers drawn to pricey establishments such as the Green Rhino. The bolstered business has helped spur an economic comeback in Roma and Condesa, ground zero for gentrification. Both districts suffered extensive damage in the 2017 earthquake and saw business plummet anew during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, the attack on el bolillo clearly touched a nerve in a capital otherwise in a festive mood. Christmas decorations adorn most storefront bakeries, which stand as community anchors throughout Mexico City.

“He really said that?” asked Roberto Celorio Díaz, a retiree who was buying bread at his “local,” the Lupita bakery, when informed of Hart’s comments.

“That’s very upsetting for Mexicans,” he said. “The foreigners come, they live in our city and they criticize our food, our culture. Maybe it’s better they stay in their own countries where, according to them, everything is better.”

McDonnell is a staff writer and Sánchez Vidal a special correspondent.

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Patrick J. McDonnell, Cecilia Sánchez Vidal

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December 22, 2025
Best Of Houston® 2025: Best Middle Eastern Bakery

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Best Middle Eastern Bakery: Badolina

Any great bakery will have excellent cakes, pastries and breads. Badolina absolutely satisfies on that front. But, you won’t find Basboosa, a delicious semolina cake soaked in syrup, or Sambusak, a Jewish pastry filled with savory ingredients like egg and tahini. The same restaurant group that opened Middle Eastern cafe Hamsa (right next door) and steak house Doris Metropolitan, created Badolina to complement their restaurants with an absolutely killer bakery. Don’t miss fresh Challa bread served only on Fridays.

5555 Morningside Drive #110

832-649-5909

badolinabakery.com

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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Houston Press

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November 3, 2025
Where to Find Houston’s Spookiest Halloween Desserts – Houston Press

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Overview:

From pan de muerto to monster cannolis, here’s where to find the season’s best sweets.

This Halloween, skip the tricks and go straight for the treats. Local favorites like Common Bond, Popfancy and URBE are conjuring up everything from festive cakes and cookies to pan de muerto and candy-inspired desserts. Here’s where to find Houston’s sweetest (and spookiest) indulgences this season.

Buttermilk Baby, 600 North Shepherd

Scoop up limited-time Halloween treats and cozy new soft serve flavors, including the Graveyard Delight and Monster Mash Dasher, plus a Pumpkin Spice Frappe through November 30.

Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, multiple locations

Celebrate Halloween with Common Bond’s limited-time Spooky Candy Bar Cake, a layered vanilla and chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate candy bar filling and finished with silky vanilla buttercream. Available for preorder October 1–27 or in-store from October 1–31 while supplies last. Perfect for parties, gatherings, or a festive family treat.

El Bolillo Bakery, multiple locations

Available for preorder through November 2, El Bolillo’s Pan de Muerto makes a festive centerpiece for Día de los Muertos altars and family tables. Other seasonal favorites include pumpkin cream cheese conchas and Champurrado for 12, a rich, chocolatey treat and made with toasted corn flour, piloncillo, cinnamon and anise.

Ooh La La Sweets, multiple locations

Treat yourself to bright and colorful Halloween cookies, cupcakes, cake pops and more at this local sweet shop.

Pizaro’s Pizza, 11177 Katy Freeway, 1000 West Gray

Pizaro’s is getting spooky with Halloween treats like the Triple Treat Monster Cannolis ($8) – along with the savory Nightmare on Gray Street white pizza ($24 medium/$34 large – through October 31.

Popfancy, 9393 Bellaire

The dessert bar has transformed its Fan Cafe into an immersive “Demon Seoul Café,” a K-pop-themed pop-up experience running now through early November. Admission is free, with reservations encouraged, especially on weekends.

Tiff’s Treats, multiple locations

Texas’ favorite cookie delivery service has Halloween packages with colorful cookies and add-ons including spooky bite-size treats from Baked by Melissa.

The Union Kitchen Katy, 9920 Gaston

On Wednesday, October 29, the Katy location invites guests to a hands-on cupcake decorating class hosted by Cakes by Meagan. Guests will enjoy chef’s lite bites and two glasses of red, white or sangria while creating ghoulishly tasty cupcakes. Tickets are $60 per person for a half-dozen cupcakes, with the option to upgrade to a full dozen for $20 more (plus tax and gratuity).

URBE, 1101 Uptown Park

In celebration of Día de los Muertos, URBE is offering handmade pan de muerto through Sunday, November 2, available at the restaurant on Saturdays or in large to-go orders (placed via URBE’s catering page with two days’ notice).

The Waffle Bus, 1835 North Shepherd

The Waffle Bus transformed its Heights location into a Halloween wonderland complete with over-the-top decorations and a family-friendly vibe. Stop by for festive treats like the Pumpkin Pie Shake.

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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Brooke Viggiano

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October 21, 2025
We Tried the New Costco Cake Everyone’s Talking About, and It’s Absolutely Perfect

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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

One of its most popular sections, though, is its expansive bakery, which is always coming out with seasonal desserts (have you tried the pumpkin cheesecake yet?). Now that it’s officially fall, we’re not surprised to hear there’s a new cake on shelves. After seeing lots of buzz about Costco’s Mocha Crunch Bar Cake, we knew that we had to try it — no matter what it took.

The location near me was sold out of the bar cakes, but fortunately our Editor-in-Chief (and fellow Costco fan) Lindsay was able to snag one over the weekend. Here’s our review.

What You Should Know About the Kirkland Signature Mocha Crunch Bar Cake

Costco has a few different flavors of its bar-style cake (last year it launched a maple-flavored one for fall). The latest seasonal drop features layers of chocolate cake, cappuccino mousse, a mocha crunch and mousse, plus a chocolate drizzle. It really looks like pure chocolate-coffee joy.

The cake is located in the refrigerated section of the bakery, and retails for $18.99 in stores (or $22.99 if you order it from Instacart). It weighs more than 2.5 pounds and serves up to 20 slices per cake. It’s unclear exactly how long it’ll be around, but given the track record of other seasonal releases you can expect to find it on shelves for at least the next few months (unless it sells out sooner).

My Honest Review of the Kirkland Signature Mocha Crunch Bar Cake

Because I couldn’t personally get a cake for myself, I asked Lindsay to try it and report back (she happily agreed). Long story short, the cake is good — in fact, according to Lindsay, it’s “SO GOOD.” Let’s break it down.

First off, Lindsay says that “the crunch is a delightfully unexpected texture,” and that it contrasts with the rest of the layers. The cake is “moist” and “dense, but not heavy,” which is basically the sweet spot when it comes to layered cakes like this. It’s rich, but it won’t sit like a brick in your stomach.

The real highlight that tied the cake all together? The cream layer. “The layer is giving Baileys vibes, in the best way possible,” says Lindsay. While there’s no actual alcohol in the cake, the mocha mousse does seem to carry that smooth, slightly bitter richness that has shoppers racing to stores.

Find it in stores: Kirkland Signature Mocha Crunch Bar Cake, $18.99 for 41 ounces

Have you tried Costco’s newest cake? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Ali Domrongchai

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October 7, 2025
Pan de Muerto is a Day of the Dead holiday staple, and this family-owned bakery makes it fresh year-round

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MONTEBELLO, Calif. — Chapala Bakery, a family-owned bakery that has been handed down over several generations, is renowned for their mouthwatering pan de muerto, a traditional Mexican sweet bread enjoyed especially during the Day of the Dead. While the bakery produces pan de muerto year-round, their output significantly increases in the weeks leading up to the holiday, as families and friends gather to honor their loved ones.

“Around October and November we definitely get a big demand,” said Daniella De la Torre, who manages Chapala Bakery in Montebello, California. “The different versions that we sell are the ones that have just sugar or the ones that have sesame seeds on them.”

“Food’s important for any holiday,” said local resident Jovita Escobar. “We love to have turkey for Thanksgiving. For Christmas, if you’re Hispanic, you love to have tamales. And for Dia de los Muertos, you have to have your Dia de Los Muertos bread.”

Chapala Bakery
2472 W Whittier Blvd
Montebello, CA 90640
(323) 720-1225
https://chapalabakery.weebly.com/

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CCG

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October 24, 2024
Inside Bridgeport’s Smash-Hit Bakery With Long Lines Fueled by Strawberry Milk Croissants and Mexican Mochas

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The lines form about an hour before the 9 a.m. opening time, with customers waiting outside Fat Peach Bakery hoping to grab a treat like a strawberry milk croissant. Owners David Castillo and Kerrie Breuer opened their small bakery on August 31 at 2907 S. Archer Avenue, replacing the former Bridgeport Bakery, a neighborhood icon for nearly five decades.

The lines start early at Fat Peach.

Judging by the long weekend lines, the neighborhood has embraced the change. Fat Peach specializes in laminated pastries, and they’ve quickly sold out of croissants and Danishes while open three days a week — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Breuer’s strawberry milk-filled croissants, a play on Strawberry Quik, has been one of the stars. Another highlight is a mushroom Danish which uses a paste made of sous vide mushrooms and English cheddar mornay sauce. It’s then twice-baked with an enoki mushroom conserva.

“It takes me forever to make all of that — I don’t know of any place that does that,” Castillo says.

Mushroom Danish

Kerrie Breuer and David Castillo are Bridgeport residents.

There’s no online ordering option, for now. Castillo and Breuer have thought about opening on more days, but they want to ease into any expansion plans. Castillo’s resume includes working for Sodexo at the Shedd Aquarium and with Hogsalt, working at Restoration Hardware in Gold Coast. He worked for Rich Labriola and at White Oak Tavern in Lincoln Park. Breuer moved to Chicago in June 2019 from North Dakota. Her background is in cake decorating and she appeared on Amazon Studios’ Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge. The two met while working together at a Chicago bakery. Castillo, a Mexican American, grew up in suburban Blue Island. Breuer grew up in North Dakota after being adopted from South Korea.

Castillo visited Mexico City as a child, and the bakeries there — using simple ingredients and techniques — left an impression. He wondered why he couldn’t find similar pastries in Chicago. He credits White Oak’s opening chef, John Asbaty, with sharing a similar philosophy in using the best ingredients in his dishes. That showed Castillo that bringing those memories of Mexico City to Chicago was possible. But not everything is hyperlocal and they’ll source from all over. Sourcing tropical fruits, for example, is a challenge during midwestern winters.

Fat Peach replaces Bridgeport Bakery, which was open for nearly 50 years.

Most of the business is to-go, but there is seating.

Fat Peach specializes in laminated pastries.

Fat Peach was inspired by Mexican bakery culture.

“This place is kind of a mishmash of the best flour, local flour, butter we can get,” Castillo says. “But we also we also like to use fruit in our pastry — because who doesn’t want that? It’s a nice reminder of, you know, how sweet life can be.”

They’re using Four Letter Word Coffee, and for Fat Peach’s mocha, they’re mixing chocolate and cinnamon from Mexico in their syrups. They’re looking for ways to incorporate more Mexican flavors into their pastries, waiting to see what their customers toward.

Breuer left Korea when she was 6 and grew up with a white military family in America. As a teen, she spent a year in South Korea, familiarizing herself with the culture (she jokes that she sometimes considers herself a banana). Flavors like red bean, sesame, and matcha could be incorporated into future pastries. There have been tasty experiments like a kimchi-pimento Danish with English cheddar, and roasted potatoes with rosemary. Breuer wants balanced flavors that work versus gimmickery.

The couple looked at spaces for six months and had targeted a location in suburban La Grange, but that deal fell through. The two are Bridgeport residents and pounded after Castillo noticed a “for lease” sign. It wasn’t exactly a turnkey operation. Beyond cleanup, the couple needed to purchase some new equipment which they found via Facebook Marketplace.

Kerrie Breuer fills pastries.

Let there be quiche.

As Chicago’s demographics change and tastes continue to evolve, Fat Peach has a different bent compared to its European-focused predecessor. Customers won’t find Bridgeport Bakery’s sausage and bacon buns (the bakery officially closed in October 2021). They might not find paczkis either. Castillo says he doesn’t want to lean on the Polish doughnuts to sustain business. He’d rather Fat Peach be busy with unique offerings regularly.

As far as the name? Yes, it’s no longer stonefruit season, but nothing on the menu ever contained peaches. The couple just loves puns.

“I feel like everyone, like, wants to have a fat peach nowadays — especially the ladies,” Breuer says with a laugh.

Fat Peach Bakery, 2907 S. Archer Avenue, open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

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Ashok Selvam

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October 9, 2024
These competitors are bakin’ it to the streets in Rebel Bread’s second-annual Bake Fest
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Rebel Bread is back with its second-annual Bake Fest on Oct. 5. The Denver bakery, specializing in sourdough, pastries and other baked goods, will host 100 competitors and a brigade of public taste-testers to determine winners in various categories.

“My background is in culinary anthropology and I’ve always loved the culture,storytelling and education around food,” said Zach Martinucci, Rebel Bread’s founder.

This mindset is the throughline in Martinucci’s work. In addition to serving as a bakery with a pickup window and a wholesaler, Rebel Bread hosts classes and events – including Bake Fest – that build skills and community.

Martinucci said he competed in his first baking competition in college, when he was just starting to play around with sourdough. “It pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and share this thing that I’d only been baking in my own apartment,” he recalled. During that first competition on the UCLA campus, he discovered “the great community feeling that you don’t always get to experience as a home baker.” He also won the competition – though, he said, that’s not what mattered.

Rebel Bread founder and CEO Zach Martinucci in his bakery in Baker. Sept. 24, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Six years later, he was able to facilitate a similar experience for other professional and amateur bakers, with Rebel Bread’s Bake Fest. Join him for the second annual event this October.
- Bake Fest takes place on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot outside of Rebel Bread’s Production Lab, 675 S. Broadway
- Bakers enter the competition for free, tasters pay $1.25 per sample
- Registration for competitors ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 29, or when the roster reaches 100, whichever happens first
- Tasting tickets are available in advance, but can also be purchased day-of
- This year’s categories include: brownies, whole grain savory, quick breads, sandwich cookies and gluten-free cakes
Meet one of last year’s Bake Fest champions – and learn her secret recipe

Last year, 8-year-old Jade Speaks and her Auntie Kay won the pie category with their unique take on pumpkin pie.

Kayla Day Krug, aka “Auntie Kay,” found the recipe on a Pinterest board 10 years ago. It’s been her Thanksgiving go-to ever since. The pie features a gingersnap cookie crust and a swirl of Nutella.

Jade Speaks takes her pumpkin and nutella pie out of the oven as her aunt, Kayla Day Krug, watches. Sept. 25, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Last year, when Jade and her mom moved to Colorado, Jade and Auntie Kay started baking together. Then, they learned about the 2023 Bake Fest and entered as co-bakers.

This year, Jade is competing solo – and she’s trying a new recipe. She’s making mini pancake kabobs (pancakes are technically quick breads – who knew!) and layering them with fruit and various sauces.

Although there is no kids-specific category in this year’s competition, Jade isn’t worried. “I think it’s pretty cool,” she said of going head-to-head with adult competitors.
Jade Speaks cracks and egg into a bowl for a pumpkin and nutella pie, in her aunt’s Golden home. Sept. 25, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Jade Speaks mixes filling for a pumpkin and nutella pie in her aunt’s Golden home. Sept. 25, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
She remembers last year’s win, including the proof that told her that victory was almost fully baked. “My clue was that one of the judges came for seconds. So that was like, ‘I think I’m probably going to win.’ And then I did,” she recalled with a grin.

Jade said a good baker is someone who is “focused and having fun…and not stressed out.” “You got to keep your kitchen clean and you got to keep it organized,” she added, tidying up as she spoke. She also noted bakers should keep their hair up – though, luckily, she didn’t learn that lesson the hard way.

When asked about her favorite part of the pie-making process, she paused to consider. “Probably it would be…eating it!”

Here’s Jade’s award-winning pumpkin pie recipe.

Jade Speaks’ pumpkin and nutella pie, on the counter in her aunt’s Golden home. Sept. 25, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Meet a new Bake Fest competitor

Margaret Restivo, owner of Miss Margaret Maker’s Pumpkin Seed Brittle – a direct-to-consumer home brittle-making operation – will be entering a pumpkin brittle loaf in the quick breads category.

Margaret Restivo poses with a loaf she baked and brought in to Rebel Bread’s bakery in Baker. Sept. 24, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

The recipe, and her brittle business, are an ode to her grandmother – who was also a Margaret.

“She’s in so much of what I do,” Restivo said, reminiscing about her childhood in southern Illinois, just outside East St. Louis. “So much of what motivates me and my food and my flavors comes from those memories I have of eating Sunday supper with granny. Or when she would babysit us during the summers, there was always some baked good around, or coming out of the oven, or about to go in.”

She said her grandmother would wrangle her and her sisterr and teach them the ways of the kitchen. One of her fondest memories is of making French toast together.

“In the mornings after my mom would drop us off, Grandma would lay out a blanket in the middle of the living room. She had these little wicker serving trays and would make breakfast,” Restivo recalled. “That’s my earliest food memory with Grandma, being able to dip the pieces of bread in the French toast custard before she put them in the pan and started frying them.”

Standing on that stepstool in Grandma’s kitchen, Restivo started her baking journey. Then, in her early twenties, she decided that cooking and baking would be her career.

At that age, she said, “I started to take it seriously, started to put myself in fine dining kitchens and worked in a traditional restaurant setting until the pandemic hit.” At that point, she started her business, Miss Margaret Maker’s.

Margaret Restivo’s pumpkin seed and pumpkin brittle loaf, which she brought into Rebel Bread’s bakery in Baker. Sept. 24, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

“When restaurants closed, Colorado has great cottage act laws in place, so I was able to make certain shelf-stable goods that I could sell direct-to-consumer out of my home kitchen,” she explained. “So I pivoted and just haven’t looked back.”

When asked what makes a good baker, Restivo said, “I think resiliency is the big one.”

She said, “There are so many variables, there are so many things that can go wrong. So the ability to just be willing to try again when it doesn’t go right the first time, or even when it comes out right,” is what leads to long-term success.

How to enter the competition – and how to get tickets to taste the goodies

Ready to wow the judges with your baked goods? Enter the competition here, free of charge.

This year’s categories include: brownies, whole grain savory, quick breads, sandwich cookies and gluten-free cakes. It’s a shift from last year’s competition where categories included bread, cake, pie, chocolate chip cookies, baker’s choice and a young baker’s competition for kids 12 and under.

Registration ends Sunday, Sept. 29 at 11:59 p.m., or when the competition reaches maximum capacity. Sign up as soon as possible if you’d like to compete.

If your skillset is more aligned with the eating side of the event, you can buy tasting tickets here. Each ticket is $1.25 and can be redeemed for one sample. Tasting tickets are available in advance, as well as day-of.

But beware – while the fest will have thousands of tastes available, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to try everything. So show up early to take advantage of the full selection.

Funds will benefit Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness. The organization’s mission is to support mental and physical wellness for folks working in the hospitality industry.

Rebel Bread Bake Fest begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 675 S. Broadway in the Denver Design District. Find a full schedule of events here.
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September 28, 2024
Silver Spring bakery owner charged after workers complain of unwanted touching, sexual comments – WTOP News

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Employees at the Passion Bakery in Silver Spring, Maryland, claim their boss would often say and do things that made them uncomfortable.

Employees at the Passion Bakery in Silver Spring, Maryland, claim their boss would often say and do things that made them uncomfortable.

Jose Melvin Mendoza, 56, is accused of questioning his employees about whether they masturbated or shaved their genitals.

But it didn’t end there, according to charging documents filed in Montgomery County District Court, Mendoza would grab several of his female employees around the waist or in a “hugging motion.”

In one case, an employee said while she was washing dishes, “Mendoza walked up to her from behind, and used his right forearm to touch her left breast without her consent.”

According to the charging documents, the same employee didn’t say anything to Mendoza, “Due to his position of authority, she did not feel comfortable telling him to stop or push him away, fearing she may lose her job.”

Mendoza faces 13 charges of second-degree assault and three counts of fourth-degree sex offenses.

In a statement, Mendoza’s defense attorney, David Moyse of Jezic & Moyse, told WTOP that the accusations “will be exposed as the court process unfolds.” He added that multiple people are stepping forward to testify for Mendoza’s character.

Passion Bakery has four locations, in Beltsville, Rockville, Olney and Silver Spring. According to the charging documents, all the incidents in the criminal complaint took place at the Silver Spring location.

In a news release, Montgomery County police indicated detectives believe there could be more victims and are asking anyone with information to contact their Fourth District Patrol Investigations Unit at (240) 773-5476.

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© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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Kate Ryan

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August 2, 2024
Jennivee’s New Lakeview Bakery Is Both Pinker and Posher

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For the past seven years, Filipina baker Jenni Vee has proven that she understands celebrations need a cake, it’s the centerpiece for parties, birthdays, weddings, and everyday revelries. So when Vee decided to celebrate trans communities, she thought deeply about representing herself and fellow trans women with an immaculate confection swirling with the pink, white, and blue colors of the trans pride flag.

Vee has a lot to celebrate with the debut of her second location, Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe, which opened Friday, June 28 at 2925 N. Halsted Street. Peachy, peppy, and polished, the roomy space reflects the effervescent style and energy of its owner, also clad in a pink ensemble, with nods to classic Parisian charm with a black-and-white checkerboard floor and crystal chandeliers also seen at the original bakery.

Trans Girl Magic cake (lemon pound cake, strawberry filling, vanilla buttercream).

“Trans Girl Magic cake is near and dear to my heart,” Vee says of the buttercream-frosted lemon poundcake with strawberry filling. “It’s bright, it’s fruity, it’s vibrant — kind of like how I would describe the trans community as a whole!”

When all the tables arrive (supply chain delays continue to plague the hospitality industry), it will seat up to 50 alongside long, glowing pastry cases packed with signature hits like ube-chiffon purple velvet cake and bright green buko pandan cupcakes. There’s a selection of gelatos and an espresso bar, where the team serves Sparrow coffee and caffeinated interpretations of Vee’s creations — think banana Biscoff lattes and tiramisu affogato.

Peachy pink tones lend a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Luca Del Sol affogato (pistachio gelato, lemon cake, espresso).

Once staff have settled in and operations are running smoothly, Vee says she’d like to add sweet and savory Filipino breakfast and brunch staples. It was an option she hadn’t considered in 2017 when she opened her original bakery in a tiny space at Sheffield and Aldine in Lakeview. At the time, Vee and her mother were the only employees and she “didn’t know the first thing about running a business,” she says. “All I knew is I wanted to create cakes that people would love and a safe space that’s very inclusive and welcoming to everyone.”

That was five years before fine dining juggernaut Kasama became the world’s first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant, sparking a “boom” of interest in upscale Pinoy cuisine, Vee says. She is eager to leverage the opportunity to extend that excitement to pastry and baked goods by highlighting the country’s significant pantheon of sweet and savory delights.

“We have a rich culture and history of pastry [influenced by] 400 years of Spanish colonization,” she says. “The beauty of Filipino cusine is that it’s so diverse and regional. I’m from an island called Cebu where we have our own traditional pastries and breakfast items that I want to showcase. And now we have the space to do it!”

Venture inside Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe and peek at its menu items in the photographs below.

Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe, 2925 N. Halsted Street.

The new bakery is significantly larger than the original Jennivee’s.

Yema polvoron ensaimada (right), ube coconut macaroon muffin (left), longanisa cheddar scone.

Lattes come in flavors like blue matcha and purple velvet.

Gelato is a new addition to the Jennivee’s lineup.

Purple velvet gelato.

Buko pandan gelato.

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Naomi Waxman

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July 2, 2024
‘It is never easy’: Popular Rock Hill bakery closing its doors after less than 3 years

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Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe carries mini doughnuts for $1 each.

Alex Cason

CharlotteFive

A beloved local bakery will be saying goodbye to Rock Hill soon, less than three years after opening.

Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe, known for its doughnuts, mini cinni rolls and other sweet treats, announced that it will be closing next week.

Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe is at 1807 Cherry Road, Suite 103, in Rock Hill. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

“When we moved south to be closer to family, we didn’t know then that the doors of Rise and Shine would be our home for the last few years. We have met and cherished so many moments with each of you,” owners John and Debbie Scalia said in the announcement.

“While it is never easy to close a chapter of life, we are certain that the time is right. We are excited for our next adventure with more traveling, more time together, more moments with family and cherishing it all.”

Varieties at Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe include glazed, filled and cake doughnuts, along with apple fritters. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

After owning a doughnut shop in Massachusetts for a decade, the Scalias brought a taste of their old bakery to the Carolinas when they opened Rise & Shine in 2021, CharlotteFive previously reported.

Since then, it’s become a popular spot for those with a sweet tooth. So much so that it was runner up in our CharlotteFive Reader’s Choice Awards for Charlotte’s Best Doughnuts.

Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe’s filled doughnuts include Apple and Spice, and Bavarian Cream. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

“We’re very proud to have such loyal customers that love us so much. It warms my heart,” Scalias previously told CharlotteFive.

Rise & Shine’s last day in business will be Sunday, April 28, and you can preorder some of its biscuits and pastries until then.

“We hope to spend these last couple of weeks bringing you joy through our doughnuts and other treats, it has been our pleasure serving this community,” the Scalias wrote on Instagram.

Rise & Shine Doughnut Cafe

Location: 1807 Cherry Rd Ste 103, Rock Hill, SC 29732

Menu

Cuisine: Bakery, doughnuts

Instagram: @riseandshinedoughnutcafe

Related stories from Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon is a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA.
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April 18, 2024
A Filipino Bakery Will Bring More Than Ube and Calamansi to Lincoln Square

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It took its sweet time in coming but the Filipino cuisine boom that had been predicted year after year in Chicago is finally here. And it’s not just savory food that’s finding its footing. Filipino American bakeries have also found a welcome home in the Windy City.

Adding to the growing list that includes Umaga Bakehouse, Jennivee’s, Crumbs.nd.Creams, and Michelin-starred Kasama, is Lincoln Square’s Del Sur Bakery.

Scheduled to open in the fall next to Damen’s Brown Line El stop, Del Sur is the brainchild of Justin Lerias, who previously had been selling — and more often than not selling out — his creative and beautiful Filipino American baked goods such as turon danishes, longanisa croissants, calamansi hojicha buns, and ube oatmeal cream pies at Ravenswood’s Side Practice Coffee (the coffee shop’s founder, Francis Almeda, is a co-owner of Del Sur, 4639 N. Damen Avenue).

While Lerias’ pastry chef experience includes stints at Lost Larson and Big Jones in Andersonville, it wasn’t until the pandemic when he began incorporating his Filipino roots into his baked goods. Lerias was born on the southern Philippine Island of Mindanao and grew up on Chicago’s North Side

“One day during 2020 I was like I have Filipino food at home and I’m going to fill these pastries with it,” he says. “I had adobo at the time, and I shredded that and folded it in some croissant dough and called it a day.”

Lerias adds: “I’ve always known that Filipino food has potential, especially with the region where I’m from.”

A turon danish.
Del Sur

Those experiments turned into an eye-opening moment for Lerias, who has wanted to have his own bakery since he was 16 — he’s 23 now — but wasn’t sure of what the exact format would be.

“I thought to myself that maybe this could be the concept of my bakery,” he says. “I was very excited to be able to finally discover a voice through my baking. That was the lightning bolt for me and that’s when I started experimenting with other ingredients.”

For the next two years, lucky friends and family got to sample Lerias’ experiments, all while he took ceramic classes at the School of the Art Institute. “I was going through a phase of ‘I don’t want to be a chef,’” he says.

Filipino flavors go beyond ube, but ube is still great.
Del Sur

Ube ice cream sandwiches
Del Sur

After seeing a 2022 story in the Tribune about Almeda of Side Practice and the coffee shop’s concept of showcasing people’s side gigs, Lerias first thought he’d reach out about his ceramics as he wasn’t sure his baked goods were good enough. Fortunately, the recipients of his “Midwestern techniques with Filipino flavors” pastries convinced him otherwise.

At the first Side Practice pop-up, Lerias’ pastries sold out within 20 minutes, with a line out the door. Not too long after, Almeda asked Lerias to supply pastries for the coffee shop regularly, later adding in sister spot Drip Collective, a coffee shop that opened earlier in 2024 in Fulton Market.

In the beginning, Filipinos made up the majority of his customers, says Lerias. But while the popularity of his pastries hasn’t changed, the audience has grown. “It’s good to be part of this Filipino boom that is happening in Chicago right now,” says Lerias, who credits the growth to “the domino effect” of other Filipino restaurants opening.

There’s plenty to showcase. For example, the people of Mindanao, which has a large Muslim population, have a different heritage from the rest of the Filipino diaspora (there’s been a push on the island to create an autonomous government).

“It’s a very good glimpse of what the Philippines could have been if it didn’t have colonialism,” Lerias says. “There are so many traditions people don’t even know about and that’s something that I want to highlight at the bakery.”

On Wednesday, March 6, Lerias paused his pastry-making for Side Practice to focus on Del Sur. When it opens, the 1,200-square-foot bakery, formerly Brew Camp, will be set up like “a living room.”

“What I love about baking was having my friends come over and baking for them. I want that same exact feel for the bakery,” says Lerias. “I want it to feel like a warm hug when you walk in.”

Calamansi hojicha buns
Del Sur

Putting his year at the Art Institute to good use, Lerias will be creating plateware for the new bakery. He recently finished making matcha bowls and glassware. “A lot of pastry techniques translate really well to pottery so that works in my favor,” he says.

The pastries at Del Sur will be very similar to what he created for Side Practice, including the calamansi chamomile bun and turron danish, the latter of which is filled with caramelized banana jam and topped with vanilla flan. Gluten-free and vegan offerings will be available, too.

His popular longanisa croissant, which is topped with soy sauce caramel, bay leaves, and a cured egg yolk, will also be on the menu. And, yes, ube, the purple-hued yam, will appear at Del Sur in his oatmeal ube cream pie among other pastries. But it won’t be the highlight. “Filipino food is way more than ube,” says Lerias.

For Lerias, Del Sur is much more than a bakery. Top of mind is a four-day work week, employee discourse on the tipping system, and empowering his staff to use their voices, something he encourages the high school students who want to be chefs that he mentors. He sees James Beard Award nominee Lula Cafe in Logan Square as an example.

“I want to be able to introduce a lot of ethical work practices that are otherwise deemed impossible by a lot of other chefs.”

Del Sur, 4629 N. Damen Avenue, scheduled for a fall opening.

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Lisa Shames

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April 15, 2024
Mexican bakery opens on Madison Ave in Albany

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ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Daisies Pasteles, a bakery specializing in Mexican desserts, had its soft opening at 418 Madison Avenue in Albany on Friday, March 29. The bakery is in the former Son of Egg space, which closed in September 2023.

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Owner Daisy Diaz started baking cakes during the COVID-19 pandemic. She then started baking for her co-workers and posted her creations on Facebook so more people started ordering cakes from her.

“It started getting out of hand,” Diaz told NEWS10. “Eventually, I quit my job to just focus on cakes.”

Saratoga Springs coffee shop rebrands with name change

Diaz spent the last year baking custom cakes from her house as an at-home bakery. Once it got to be too big of an operation for her home kitchen, she started looking to open a storefront. You can check out some photos of the bakery in the video player above.

Daisies Pasteles offers full cakes, slices of cake, cake cups, flan, jello, and other Mexican desserts, as well as Mexican bread. Diaz specializes in tres leches cakes with a variety of different fillings including fruit, Nutella, and Oreo. She’ll still be making custom cakes for those who order at least a day in advance.

Albany’s Olde English Pub under new ownership

As for beverages, Daisies Pasteles serves hot coffee from Chris’ Coffee in Latham, and a sweet Mexican hot coffee with cinnamon and caramelized sugar. She plans to start offering fresh hibiscus and tamarind drinks for the summer, as well as horchata and other fruit waters.

“It’s really exciting,” said Diaz. “I love all the support I’m getting from our community here.”

Gus’s Hot Dogs celebrates 70 years in business

Son of Egg, a Korean-American restaurant, closed its Albany location due to structural issues with the building, an employee told NEWS10 at that time. Diaz said she had the space fully inspected and it was cleared for her to open.

Diaz is hoping to have an official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at some point in the future. Daisies Pasteles is open Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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Sara Rizzo

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April 9, 2024
Chicago’s Filipino Boom Continues With a New Bakery Near Seafood City

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Bakers and spouses Robert and Kissel Fagaragan say they can predict the future — at least when it comes to local hospitality.

The owners of Umaga Bakehouse, a new bakery specializing in Filipino baked goods, the Fagaragans feel confident that the country’s distinctive baking tradition will dominate the next phase of Chicago’s Filipino American restaurant boom. They’ll open the bakery on Friday, April 12 at 4703 W. Foster Avenue across from Seafood City, the pan Asian supermarket with a robust selection of Filipino goods. The bakery’s name means “morning” in Tagalog.

At nearly 4,000 square feet, Umaga is touted as one of the largest Filipino bakeries in the U.S. Local designer Aida Napoles of AGN Design (also behind the design at West Town’s Diego and Mag Mile’s The Evie) who’s opted for warm earth tones with modern touches like bronze tile. To capitalize on natural morning light, Umaga is equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows, and the team commissioned a custom-milled s-shaped wooden table to serve as both a display centerpiece and provide seating for 10.

Umaga specializes in fresh Filipino baked goods.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Halo-halo.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

“I feel like the Filipino bakery is up next in the Chicago scene,” says Kissel Fagaragan. She’s watched with excitement as locals have embraced hits like Michelin-starred Kasama, Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant, and Bayan Ko. “It’s been very motivating [to see] that Filipino dishes are starting to get popular. But I feel like Filipino bread is still a secret, so we want to bring that full force.”

The Fagaragans feel strongly about honoring the techniques and traditions of Filipino baking while placing these baked goods in a contemporary space that’s appealing to both novices and experts — “the Filipino bakery reimagined,” Kissel Fagaragan says.

That means customers can count on staples like hot pandesal, a yeast-raised roll that’s ubiquitous in the Philippines, and fluffy ensaymada, a popular brioche pastry based on a Mallorcan treat of the same name. The Filipino version is distinctive from the original, evolving over 300 years of Spanish colonization. The couple put a lot of effort into perfecting Umaga’s ensaymada and say they’re finally happy with a version they can call their own — one that’s “soft, moist, not too crazy sweet.”

Umaga Bakehouse owner Kissel Fagaragan.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Umaga Bakehouse owner Robert Fagaragan.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Kissel Fagaragan’s parents owned Kissel’s Bakery in Lancaster, California.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Robert Fagaragan’s father ran a bakery out of their home in the Philippines.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Those seeking a sugar rush will have plenty of options including sans rival, a layer cake of buttercream, meringue, and chopped cashews; and pan de coco, a sweet roll stuffed with coconut and molasses. The couple also promises plenty of ube-infused delicacies, plus halo-halo and a collection of savory pastries like longanisa rolls, menudo buns, and crispy Ilocos empanadas.

The couple’s commitment to a legacy of Filipino baking has roots that go deeper than cultural heritage — both spent their childhoods working (and playing) in their respective family bakeries. Born on the West Coast, Kissel Fagaragan vividly recalls Kissel’s Bakery, the small bakeshop her parents owned in Lancaster, California. “That was my playground, [and] that’s where I saw the hard work that they did,” she says. “It definitely gave me a work ethic early on and the passion to do this.”

The Fagaragan’s four-year-old daughter Kyle joins her parents in Umaga’s kitchen.

Spanish bread.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Ilocos empanada.
J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse

Her husband, Robert Fagaragan, a native of the Philippines’ Ilocos Norte Province, also recalls learning to make bread alongside his father in the small bakery he ran out of their home. He remembers getting up in the wee hours with his dad and riding his bike through the neighborhood hawking fresh-baked bread. After emigrating to the U.S. at 17, he would eventually find a job as a cleaner in a bakery in Sacramento, California — a move that would prove fortuitous, as that’s where he met his wife and reconnected with the joy baking brought to his childhood.

The couple took a leap of faith and moved to Chicago in 2018 to pursue new job opportunities. They fell in love with the city and are particularly excited about Umaga’s prime vantage point amid the Northwest Side Filipino community. They hope its proximity will draw shoppers from Seafood City (and away from Filipino powerhouse Jollibee). The morning commuters from the nearby Edens Expressway also present another potential source of customers.

But most of all, however, they’re delighted to be creating new baking memories with a new generation: their 4-year-old daughter Kyle.

“She’s very hands-on and loves to work with Play-Doh, so with dough, she’s even more excited,” says Kissel Fagaragan. “But as much as we’d love for her to take over [Umaga Bakehouse] one day, we’re happy with whatever she wants to do — as long as she’s happy.”

Umaga Bakehouse, 4703 W. Foster Avenue, Scheduled to open Friday, April 12.

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Naomi Waxman

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March 27, 2024
West Coast bakery opens second shop in Charlotte, but says more NC locations are coming

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Cookie Plug, a California-based dessert shop, has multiple locations across the U.S.

Courtesy of Cookie Plug

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll want to check out the latest cookie shop joining the city’s dessert scene.

Cookie Plug, a bakery known for “the fattest and thiccest” cookies, has opened its doors in South Charlotte. The California-based dessert spot has locations all over the country, and this new shop is the second location in North Carolina.

Cookie Plug, a California-based dessert shop, has multiple locations across the U.S. Courtesy of Cookie Plug

“They have been hugely successful on the West Coast … From a growth perspective, Charlotte is the place to be, and that’s the reason why we wanted to have the Charlotte market to ourselves, so that we can grow and expand this brand over here,” Eibaad Ahmed, the owner of Cookie Plug in Charlotte, told CharlotteFive.

Cookie Plug has a wide variety of traditional and specialty cookies. Courtesy of Cookie Plug

Cookie Plug, which prides itself on not being a “typical milk and cookies company,” has a wide variety of fan-favorite and freshly-baked specialty cookies, including:

The cookie shop, which also features keto options, also offers ice cream cookie sandwiches, custom cookie cakes and its infamous Purple Drank purple lemonade.

Cookie Plug offers cookies, cookie cakes and more. Courtesy of Cookie Plug

The first Cookie Plug location in North Carolina opened in Greensboro, but Ahmed said the chain plans to open more in New Bern and other parts of the state soon.

Cookie Plug

Location: 3216 South Blvd Suite 101, Charlotte, NC 28209

Menu

Cuisine: Cookies, dessert

Instagram: @cookie.plug_southblvd

Related stories from Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon is a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA.
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March 25, 2024
‘Life is what you ‘bake’ of it’: This woman went from homelessness to owning her own bakery

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‘Life is what you ‘bake’ of it’: Woman shares journey from homelessness to owning a bakery

Updated: 3:59 AM PST Feb 25, 2024

BUSINESS, IT’S THE STORY OF A NEW ORLEANS WOMAN WHOSE JOURNEY TO SUCCESS IS ONE YOU’LL REMEMBER WELL. WDSU REPORTER SHAY O’CONNOR JOINS US WITH THE STORY OF A NEW MID-CITY BAKERY SHOP OWNER WHO WAS ON THE STREETS JUST YEARS AGO. THE OWNER OF NOLITA EXPLAINS WHY LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT. BAKING IS A LOT LIKE LIFE. IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PATIENCE TO GET THE BEST OUTCOME. AND THERE’S NO ONE WAY TO TRULY DO IT RIGHT. IT JUST HAPPENED. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I LOVED THIS PROCESS, BUT IT IS SO. IT IS SO METICULOUS AND PARTICULAR AND BEAUTIFUL. FOR MARTHA GILREATH, THE OWNER OF NOLITA BAKERY IN MID-CITY. IF YOU WANT A GOOD RESULT, SHE SAYS, YOU HAVE TO TRUST THE PROCESS. I LIKE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. UM, AM AN ADDICT AND AN ALCOHOLIC, AND I LIVED WITH THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WAS SICK FOR, YOU KNOW, THE BETTER PART OF 16 YEARS. GILBERT’S ADDICTION TO HARD DRUGS AND ALCOHOL LED HER INTO HOMELESSNESS OFF AND ON FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS. AND I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT YOU WERE HOMELESS. IF YOU COULD KIND OF TELL ME ABOUT, UM, HOW THAT HAPPENED, I THINK THAT IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT’S GRADUAL. YOU STOP PAYING BILLS, YOU STAY IN A HOTEL ROOMS, YOU SLEEP ON OTHER PEOPLE’S COUCH. THE LONGER I WAS IN ACTIVE ADDICTION, THE MORE WILLING I WAS TO ACCEPT THINGS. AT ONE POINT, GILREATH LIVED UNDERNEATH THE CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION BRIDGE. FOR THE MOST PART, IT’S JUST SURVIVAL. UM, IT IS VERY SCARY, BUT I THINK AT THE TIME YOU’RE NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THAT BECAUSE YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE. YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO GET RIGHT. JUST TRYING TO FIND MONEY, DO THE NEXT THING. BUT GILREATH SAYS GOD AND FATE WOULD INTERVENE IN 2019. UM, AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS I CALLED HER AND SHE PICKED UP THE PHONE AND I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD COME GET ME AND SHE SAID, IF I GET IN THE CAR, WILL YOU STAY WHERE YOU ARE? AND I DIDN’T MOVE FROM THAT SPOT. SO I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ME WAS HELPING. AND SHE GOT ME AND I WENT BACK INTO TREATMENT. THIS TIME, RECOVERY WAS A LOT EASIER. MONTHS LATER, SHE APPLIED TO CULINARY SCHOOL AMID THE PANDEMIC. RIGHT HERE AT NOKI, LESS THAN A BLOCK AWAY FROM WHERE SHE ONCE LIVED. SHE GRADUATED VALEDICTORIAN OF HER CLASS. I OWE THEM A DEBT OF GRATITUDE. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPAY BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, I HAVE NOT HAD DIRECTION IN MY LIFE SINCE I WAS PROBABLY 19 YEARS OLD, AND WHAT THEY ASKED OF ME PUSHED ME TO BE BETTER. UM, YOU KNOW, IT REQUIRED DISCIPLINE. IT REQUIRED REQUIRED FOLLOWING DIRECTION AND LISTENING TO OTHER PEOPLE, UM, PUSHING MYSELF THAT PUSH WAS THE LASTING ONE. I HAD TRIED TO GET SOBER BEFORE, AND I WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE ASKED OF ME, OR I DIDN’T THINK THAT I HAD TO, UH, THIS TIME, I THINK IT WAS A MATTER OF REALIZING THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO DIE THIS WAY. YEARS LATER, HER BAKERY IS THRIVING HERE ALONG ORLEANS AVENUE. AFTER ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY LAST JULY, SHE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP HER SHOP IN JANUARY, SHE SIGNALING A FRESH START TO THE YEAR AND HER LIFE. IT ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. UM, MY SISTER, MY BIG SISTER DESIGNED THE SPACE. UM, I’VE HAD ONE BROTHER HELP ME WITH OFFICE WORK. ONE BROTHER. UH, DO WOODWORKING IN THIS SPACE. ANOTHER BROTHER HAS HELPED ME WITH BOOKS FOR THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY. THIS. NOT TO MENTION AN AWESOME TEAM OF HELPERS AND CUSTOMERS THAT HELP MAKE WORK FUN OVER AT THE FRONT DOOR IN EVER GROWING COLLECTION OF ITEMS. DONATE BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS MARTHA GIVES THESE ITEMS TO THE UNHOUSED POPULATION ALMOST WEEKLY. IT’S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE OUTSIDE. IT’S GOOD TO SEE THE KIDS TAKING BOOKS OUT OF THE LIBRARY. HER MESSAGE TO OTHERS WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION SIMILAR TO HERS IS YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR HELP. WHETHER WHETHER YOUR HARD TIMES ARE SOMETHING EXTREME, LIKE NEEDING TO GET SOBER, HOMELESSNESS OR YOUR HARD TIME IS. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO FIND A BANKER TO FINANCE MY DREAM. YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR HELP. WE’RE NOT MEANT TO DO ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD ALONE. MORE THAN A HALF MILLION PEOPLE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS ACROSS AMERICA JUST LAST YEAR HERE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE POPULATION HAS BEEN GROWING, BUT LEADERS ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO OFFER THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES NEEDED. I SIT DOWN WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELESS SERVICES ON HIS PLAN. YOU’LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS TOMORROW RIGHT HERE ON WDSU. EXCELLENT STORY THERE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MARTHA’S INSPIRATIONAL STORY, OR EVEN HOW YOU CAN DONATE ITEMS TO THE UNHOUSED POPULATION BY VISITING HER BAKERY

‘Life is what you ‘bake’ of it’: Woman shares journey from homelessness to owning a bakery

Updated: 3:59 AM PST Feb 25, 2024

From homelessness to running a business — it’s a story of a Louisiana woman whose journey you will remember.Our sister station WDSU has the story of a New Orleans bakery owner who was on the streets just years ago. The owner of Nolita, Martha Gilreath, explains why life is what you “bake” of it. Gilreath said she struggled with drugs and alcohol for “the better part of 16 years,” which led her to be living on the streets on and off for about 10 years. In 2019, she went into treatment for her addictions and saw success in the program. Amid her recovery, she applied to culinary school at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute and graduated valedictorian.”I had tried to get sober before and I was not willing to do all of the things that were asked of me,” Gilreath said. “This time, I think it was a matter of realizing that I was not going to die this way.”Years later, her bakery is thriving in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. Last July, she acquired the property for her bakery and opened in January.”It all happened very quickly. My big sister designed the space, I’ve had one brother help me with office work, one brother do woodworking in the space, another brother has helped me with books for the children’s library,” she said.In addition to a children’s library in the space, there is also a collection of items like clothes and toiletries at the front of the story. These items are donated by community members and Gilreath gives them to the unhoused population in the area almost weekly.She has a message for others who may find themselves in a situation similar to hers:”You have to ask for help. Whether your hard times are something extreme — needing to get sober, homelessness or your hard time is ‘I don’t know how to find a banker to finance my dream,’ you have to ask for help,” she said. “We’re not meant to do anything in the world alone.”

NEW ORLEANS —

From homelessness to running a business — it’s a story of a Louisiana woman whose journey you will remember.

Our sister station WDSU has the story of a New Orleans bakery owner who was on the streets just years ago.

The owner of Nolita, Martha Gilreath, explains why life is what you “bake” of it.

Gilreath said she struggled with drugs and alcohol for “the better part of 16 years,” which led her to be living on the streets on and off for about 10 years.

In 2019, she went into treatment for her addictions and saw success in the program. Amid her recovery, she applied to culinary school at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute and graduated valedictorian.

“I had tried to get sober before and I was not willing to do all of the things that were asked of me,” Gilreath said. “This time, I think it was a matter of realizing that I was not going to die this way.”

Years later, her bakery is thriving in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. Last July, she acquired the property for her bakery and opened in January.

“It all happened very quickly. My big sister designed the space, I’ve had one brother help me with office work, one brother do woodworking in the space, another brother has helped me with books for the children’s library,” she said.

In addition to a children’s library in the space, there is also a collection of items like clothes and toiletries at the front of the story. These items are donated by community members and Gilreath gives them to the unhoused population in the area almost weekly.

She has a message for others who may find themselves in a situation similar to hers:

“You have to ask for help. Whether your hard times are something extreme — needing to get sober, homelessness or your hard time is ‘I don’t know how to find a banker to finance my dream,’ you have to ask for help,” she said. “We’re not meant to do anything in the world alone.”

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February 25, 2024
Tom Sandoval RIPS Los Angeles Bakery For Selling Scandoval-Themed Cakes – After It Shuts Down! – Perez Hilton

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Tom Sandoval is in a celebratory mood right now after the closure of a bakery in Los Angeles. …Wait, what?!

OK, let’s rewind real quick! Right after Tom’s months-long affair with Vanderpump Rules co-star Rachel Leviss and breakup with Ariana Madix came out in March 2023, the El Lay-based bakery Sweet Lady Jane began to sell Scandoval-themed cakes. They included ones with the words “Sandoval’s a liar” and “Team Ariana” written on top. Ch-ch-check out some of the sugary digs (below):

Related: Lala Kent & James Kennedy Go IN On Sandoval For Posing With Captive Tiger In Thailand!

And months later, Sandoval still appears to be very salty over the cakes! When Sweet Lady Jane announced it was permanently closing after 35 years this week, the reality star did not hesitate to express pure joy over the news. After pal Billie Lee tagged him and asked, “Karma,” in the comments of the Instagram announcement, he responded:

“I never had a cake by @sweetladyjanecakeshop that wasn’t super dried out. Maybe people started to catch on? Also, to charge $$$ selling cakes using my name in negative sangs [sic] on it really hurt my feelings, and almost pushed me over the edge. Good riddance”

Jeez! Billie then added:

“well now we know they were desperate to sell cakes but obviously the hatful negative approach didn’t work.”

See their comments (below):

(c) Sweet Lady Jane/Instagram

Does this remind anyone else of the time he went off on Glamour and journalist Stephanie McNeal for saying he ruined white nail polish due to the cheating scandal? We point out again that out of all the criticisms people have made about him for the past year since Scandoval broke, it is odd that this is what he chooses to clap back at. He was upset over a bakery for selling “Sandoval’s a liar” and “Team Ariana” cakes, which weren’t even the worst things said about him last year! Plus, the shop is already closed, so why continue to kick them while they are down?

Not to mention, he has not even given anywhere near this same energy to his co-stars — especially the most vocal among them, including James Kennedy, Lala Kent, and Scheana Shay. You would think Sandoval would have plenty of strong feelings about them profiting off the scandal and want to express it online or on his podcast. Instead, the singer is slamming a random bakery…

But what are your thoughts on this matter, Perezcious readers? Do you think his comment was unnecessary? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen/ABC7/YouTube]

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Perez Hilton

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January 5, 2024
Goodbye to Sweet Lady Jane and the famous triple berry cake

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For the past three decades, it seemed there was only one cake worth having at your graduation, birthday, bridal shower or wedding. The cake sitting on top of the pedestal in the middle of the celebration table, the one being shoved into newlyweds’ faces and ushered out in neat slices to waiting partygoers, was the triple berry cake from Sweet Lady Jane.

The bakery, which had six locations in Los Angeles — West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Encino, Calabasas and San Fernando — closed all of its bakeries on Sunday.

The company announced the closures in a statement posted to social media.

“After 35 years we are closing our doors,” read the statement. “Our last day of business was December 31, 2023.”

The shop celebrated its 35th anniversary in June, recently remodeled multiple stores and had plans to open new shops in Larchmont and Marina del Rey.

“We did not come to this decision lightly nor quickly,” read the statement. “While the support and loyalty of our customers has been strong, sales are not enough to continue doing business in the state of California, allowing us to service our lease obligations and pay our treasured employees a living wage without passing those costs directly on to you.”

A representative for Sweet Lady Jane did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

“This business is brutal,” Erin McKenna’s Bakery commented on the Instagram post about the sudden closure. The vegan and gluten-free bakery has a location on Larchmont Boulevard in Windsor Square as well as bakeries in Florida and New York City. “I am so, so sorry. I know this wasn’t easy.“

The news comes at a time fraught with uncertainty for the Los Angeles restaurant industry, with dozens of notable closures announced in 2023.

Founder Jane Lockhart opened the first Sweet Lady Jane bakery on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood in 1988. The triple berry cake wasn’t on Lockhart’s opening menu, but it was a hit from the moment she introduced it a few months later. The cake accounted for more than half of the bakery’s sales.

It was a simple take on a strawberry shortcake, with rich yellow butter cake layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. The whipped cream was improbably light and just a tad sweet. Each fruit had its own devoted layer so that when you sliced into the cake, you could easily pick out your favorite.

It was instantly recognizable at parties. The tall, pristine white cake was neatly piped with green buttercream leaves along the sides and decorated with fresh fruit on top.

I’ve probably eaten at least a hundred slices over the years. Growing up in Los Angeles, I watched as the cake became a status symbol of sorts. In addition to the right handbag, car and social circle, this was the cake you needed at your party. At the time of closing, a 9-inch cake was $100.

People made sure the cake was included in photographs from any party. They nodded approvingly when it was brought to the table.

Fans of the bakery, and the triple berry cake in particular, flooded the comments on the Instagram post announcing the closure.

“The berry cake is a part of my childhood and my memories forever,” wrote Lauren Ireland. “My own wedding, friend’s weddings, celebratory days and when you just wanted to make someone’s day happier.”

“This is truly an end of an era,” wrote Scotty Cunha.

“Oh no, this is so sad. Thank you for all the memories. The triple berry cake will live on in legend…,” wrote food writer Esther Tseng.

Many copycats have sprung up over the years, including the berry chantilly cake from Whole Foods, which features a vanilla cake with chantilly icing and berries. But there’s only one triple berry.

What will be the next “it” cake for Los Angeles? I suggest the chocolate with salted caramel from République, the Blum’s Coffee Crunch cake from Valerie Confections or any of Hannah Ziskin’s cakes at Quarter Sheets.

Times staff writer Sarah Mosqueda contributed to this report.

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Jenn Harris

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January 2, 2024
This $1 Bakery Find Is the Reason I Keep Shopping at Lidl

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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

I’m a pretty loyal grocery shopper, in that I rarely stray from my (basically two) usual haunts. I’m not in the habit of hopping from store to store for the end-all, be-all lowest prices. I essentially have a Myspace Top 2. That is, until I discovered a new Lidl location was opening up near me; then, of course, I had to throw my whole roster out the window.

What started as casually flirting with the idea of just stopping by a Lidl ended up with me consistently with a sale flier in hand, reusable bags at the ready, and nearly getting a “I heart Lidl” tattoo on my forearm. I never looked back once I tried just one item in particular: the butter croissants.

Not only are they only $.79 a pop, but they’re also basically better than the freshly baked ones I get from my local bakery (that often go for at least six to eight times the price). How does Lidl do this witchcraft? I may never know, but I’m finally ready to stop gatekeeping this bakery gem.

What’s So Great About Lidl’s Butter Croissants?

Okay, so once you pick up your jaw off the ground from spotting that low, low price, you can get to eating one of these puppies. What you’ll soon discover is that these are the platonic ideal of a croissant: buttery, light, flaky, and airy in the middle and ready for slicing into crois-sandwiches or stuffing with something sweet and dreamy, like chocolate hazelnut spread.

Plus, they freeze up like a dream, so they’re a great thing to stock up on when they’re actually in stock because, as you’ll find, they’re pretty popular to those in-the-know. It was nearly an occupational hazard just to take a picture of these croissants over all the frenzy of other customers trying to get their share.

What’s the Best Way to Use Lidl’s Butter Croissants?

While eating them all on their own is a valid and worthy endeavor (I personally like to rip the flaky layers and dunk them straight in a milky coffee), why stop there? Anytime I can, I try to use these croissants to bring me back to my Italian vacations of yore. If that sounds just as delectable to you, do yourself a big favor and stuff your croissants Italian cornetto-style with a dollop of crunchy pistachio cream, apricot jam, or fresh whipped cream and berries.

Feeling more savory in your future? It goes without saying that these are the ideal vehicle for all sorts of sandwich fillings, like chicken salad, ham and cheese, or the best BLT you’ve had in recent memory. If you did yourself the aforementioned favor of stocking up on these croissants, you’ll be so glad you did; those croissants are going to be so happy in a savory breakfast casserole (or even a sweet one, for that matter).

Find it in stores: Butter Croissants, $.79 per croissant at Lidl

Do you have a Lidl gem more people should know about? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Mackenzie Filson

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November 25, 2023
Mr. Bake Kareem Queeman on Telling Your Product Story | Entrepreneur

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Mr. Bake Kareem Queeman has been baking since the age of eight and has found fame from the oven to the camera. Now, he has become a rising voice advocating for the LGBTQ+ community.

Kareem Queeman found his purpose by answering a difficult question: “If I was to leave this Earth tomorrow, would I be happy with the life that I’ve lived?”

After acknowledging that his answer to the question posed above was “no”, Queeman took action to change the narrative and became a strong advocate for the “unseen” LGBTQ+ community.

“I started to really start changing with that and start speaking out more about that change, about going to therapy. And then that’s when I found that passion,” says Kareem Queeman to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef of CaliBBQ Media.

One of the most important qualities an entrepreneur must possess is courage. Kareem Queeman didn’t always possess that in spades.

After a meeting with a fellow black entrepreneur who made wine, Queeman realized the importance of telling his story with media, which helped him progress and become the powerful voice he is today.

“He said, they will get into your story more than they will buy into your product. And I sat on that for a little while,” Queeman says of the encounter. “And then it hit me six or seven months later.”

Running a business is not an easy feat, and there will be plenty of obstacles to overcome, and Queeman has faced his fair share of adversity. But he has done the internal work necessary to persevere and advises other entrepreneurs to do the same.

“When you are faced with another adversity or when you are faced with another opportunity or you want to go for something and you start to doubt yourself, I want everybody to remind themselves, how did they get to where they are today?” asks Queeman. “Do not forget your power.”

Kareem Queeman’s story is an inspiring one. His journey to find and intentionally pursue his passion of becoming a voice for the LGBTQ+ community is one that reminds us that we have the power to achieve our dreams, and find our own voice, as well.

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Shawn P. Walchef

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May 9, 2023